Men’s Basketball: UL’s Bureau starting to flourish

Men’s Basketball: UL’s Bureau starting to flourish

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • February 9, 2011

UL’s five-game winning streak has boosted the confidence for a team that struggled through the first half of the season.

One of the main benefactors has been Travis Bureau. The senior guard/forward has averaged 12.8 points and 10.8 rebounds over the past five games.

During the streak, the best for the program since the 2005-06 season, Bureau has led the Ragin’ Cajuns (8-14, 5-5 Sun Belt) in rebounding three times and scoring twice. He had 15 points and 10 rebounds against North Texas on Jan. 27, a career-high 20 rebounds vs. South Alabama on Jan. 30 and 23 points and 11 rebounds and the go-ahead free throws in Saturday’s 67-66 win over Arkansas-Little Rock.

Bureau fell just short Saturday of topping his career-high scoring total of 24 points set against Lamar on Nov. 18, 2008. He also made 13-of-17 free throws to pace a 30-of-38 effort at the line for the Cajuns in the win.

His 20 rebounds against South Alabama were the most in the league this season and the best rebounding total by a Cajun in a Sun Belt game.

"He’s playing with confidence," said UL coach Bob Marlin, whose Cajuns play at Florida International (9-14, 4-7) on Thursday. "As a coach you’re supposed to help your players reach their potential, and Travis has done a good job with that. We hope he can finish out the year strong."

Bureau is enjoying his best all-around season with the Cajuns as a senior. He is averaging 10.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game and is shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from 3-point range. His rebounding, field-goal shooting and 3-point shooting totals are career highs. He is seventh in the conference in rebounding and field-goal shooting.

For the season Bureau leads the team in rebounding and 3-point shooting, is second in steals (18) and blocked shots (18) and third in scoring, assists (31) and field-goal shooting.

His inspired play has come from a want to make UL a winning program again.

"We’re just tired of losing," Bureau said. "It feels good to win, and we don’t want to lose anymore."

Bureau’s impact is also felt on the defensive end of the court. With his tremendous wingspan, leaping ability and athleticism, the 6-foot-7 Bureau can defend guards and forwards inside and outside. He helped hold UALR’s Chuck Guy, who scored a career-high 20 points in a win over the Cajuns on Jan. 15, to three points on Saturday.

"He had some inconsistent efforts and health issues earlier in the season, but now he’s playing extremely well," Marlin said. "I’m proud of him. Our players think he’s an X-factor for our team, and it obviously shows."

Bureau has been bothered with knee tendonitis recently, but he is otherwise healthy. He looks nothing like the player that went scoreless to open Sun Belt play at Denver and UNT more than a month ago.

"He is a versatile player and can post up smaller guards and has so much length that he’s going to cause problems for whoever he guards," Marlin said. "He’s a different type of rebounder because he can leap and go get the ball."